Mother's Day

I need to stop reading the Huff Post Parenting section.  It's overrun by mommy bloggers... and, I suppose, for good reason (because who else is going to blog?).  But I just read yet another article, this one entitled "What Real Moms Want for Mother's Day," which included a litany of quotes from the mommy bloggers regarding their Mother's Day wishes.

It seems like the same wishes were represented over and over: (1) time to myself to read a book, (2) a day in the house, by myself, without the kids, (3) having someone else clean my house, (4) getting to use the bathroom by myself, (5) sleep in past 7:00 a.m., and (6) a vacation alone, without my family.

I just . . . can't relate.  While I recognize that these are valid desires, they all seem to come from the mommy blogger/stay-at-home mom contingent.  Would it hurt anyone to poll the working moms out there, perhaps to see what we want?

And maybe there are tons of working moms out there who want the same things.  I can't deny it would be nice to have someone clean my house, to take a nice vacation, to sleep in once in a while.  And I am sure there are other working moms who would like a good night's sleep, or more time to themselves.

But here's what I really want for Mother's Day: a full day with my baby girl, who is growing up so fast it makes my heart stop.  Who wakes in the morning with a head of curly hair and a sweet smile, smelling like sleep and soap, and who I have to kiss goodbye just minutes after kissing her good morning.  I want to get her out of her crib, change her morning diaper, and eat breakfast with her.  I want to fix her hair and pick out her outfit for the day.  I want to take her for a morning walk, or to the library, or to the park.  I want to read to her before her naps.  I want to play hide and seek with her and sit out in our back yard watching her dig through the dirt and move rocks from pot to pot.  I want to pick strawberries with her.  I want to bake zucchini bread while she sits on the counter and watches.  I want to give her a bath and snuggle her warm, wet-haired self as we read books before bed, her bare feet curling inside my arms.  I want time with this girl. 

I just want time.